Passengers refuse to allow holiday jet to take off until two Asian men are thrown off

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Passengers refuse to allow holiday jet to take off until two Asian men are thrown off

"British holidaymakers staged an unprecedented mutiny - refusing to allow their flight to take off until two men they feared were terrorists were forcibly removed.
The extraordinary scenes happened after some of the 150 passengers on a Malaga-Manchester flight overheard two men of Asian appearance apparently talking Arabic.
Passengers told cabin crew they feared for their safety and demanded police action.
The incident raised fears that more travellers will take the law into their own hands - effectively conducting their own 'passenger profiles'."
Patrick Mercer, the Tory Homeland Security spokesman, said last night: "This is a victory for terrorists. These people on the flight have been terrorised into behaving irrationally." "For those unfortunate two men to be victimised because of the colour of their skin is just nonsense." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

Do you fear boarding a plane with dark skinned people speaking arabic since 9/11?

Do you fear boarding a plane with dark skinned people speaking arabic since 9/11?

I just flew home the day before yesterday from New York City. There were 2 or 3 men who I assumed to be Arabs boarding the plane. To be honest, I must have thought enough about them to even assume they were Arabs. But I wasn't concerned about flying with them, especially now with the heightened security.

But when I got home, I thought "so much for heightened security". There are signs right at the security checkpoint that say no matches or lighters are allowed in carry on or checked baggage. I had lunch at Tavern on the Green the day I was leaving. As I left the restarant, I grabbed a couple of books of matches from there and put them in my purse. I didn't even remember I had them until I got home and saw them in my purse. I had no problems passing through security with them in there.

Arabic sounds a heck of alot different than any Asian language. Plus facial features are really different. So there must be more to this.

Whaat "more to this" beyond racial/ethnic profiling do you think was going on?

What was described as "suspicious behavior" about these two men is that they had asian features, spoke arabic, wore leather jackets (dressed too warmly for the weather)and glanced at their watches.

When traveling from one place to the next it is not unusual to be dressed for the climate you came from or the one you are going to. It is not unusual to glance at one's watch for the time while traveling.

British Director of Homeland Security Patrick Mercer called the incident "a victory for terrorists," saying the passengers had been "terrorized into behaving irrationally."

"For those unfortunate two men to be victimized because of the color of their skin is just nonsense," he said.

You're right. The recent scare has people even more on edge. I don't think this makes us safer. Do you? We're not at our best when afraid.

Imagine being in the shoes of the asians. What it would feel like to have a whole airplane full of people so afraid of you that they delay the flight and refuse to ride on the plane with you because of your racial features and language?

That would also make you paranoid. Then someone would say you are being "overly racially sensitive".

I'm not so concerned about people bringing books of matches on the plane. The security screeners can't possibly pick up everything, otherwise we'd be in security lines alot longer than we currently are.

I'm disturbed by this news. It would be one thing if they overheard them say something suspicious such as 9/11 or bomb or something, but speaking in a different language doesn't necessarily make them terrorists.

In my opinion, this is evidence that terrorism is succeeding. Altering our way of life because of the fear they instilled is exactly what they are trying to accomplish.

ok so why did the airline not say " you dont want to board? YOu want to be racist and have to buy another ticket? Fine" I mean, through out the whole article I saw "they believed" " they suspected" "thought they heard" This is just ridiculous!

Whaat "more to this" beyond racial/ethnic profiling do you think was going on?

What was described as "suspicious behavior" about these two men is that they had asian features, spoke arabic, wore leather jackets (dressed too warmly for the weather)and glanced at their watches.

When traveling from one place to the next it is not unusual to be dressed for the climate you came from or the one you are going to. It is not unusual to glance at one's watch for the time while traveling.

British Director of Homeland Security Patrick Mercer called the incident "a victory for terrorists," saying the passengers had been "terrorized into behaving irrationally."

"For those unfortunate two men to be victimized because of the color of their skin is just nonsense," he said.

I am going to be honest here. I am the most non racist person on the planet.
However, I can completly understand these people's fears and there actions. This does not mean I condone what they did but I do understand it. Had I been in this situation, I would not have publicly objected to there being on the flight because I have to believe they were throughly checked through secuity. However, I would have concerns and if I really really felt that afraid I might not have gotten on the plane. It might be a victory for terrorists as Patrick Mercer called it but I call it unforunie, LEARNED human fear.

So, what's the end of the story????? Did the pilot kick them off or not?

Cancel my question, I went back and read the link: Half an hour later, police returned and escorted the two Asian passengers off the jet.

And do I think these people are being irrational in their fears - NOT ONE BIT!

He kicked them off the plane. They flew on another plane the next day.

I can understand being afraid, whether its "rational" or not. If you're scared, you're scared. When you're scared your perception is colored by that fear. You don't see things clearly in the way you do when you are at ease.

I can imagine voicing one's concerns, describing the behavior to security. But refusing to get on the plane, holding up the flight and start a general overall panic IS giving in to TERRORISM.

I guess if I had that strong of a fear, rational or not, I would get off the plane. But it sounds like it was the whole plane. I don't know how you could confuse Asians for Arabs, unless they are referring to people from Afghanistan or Pakistan. Sometimes they can be referred to as "Asian". The only reason I have heard of that is because my boyfriend is middle eastern and when he was becoming a citizen, certain middle-easterners are referred to as "white" and others pick "asian". There is not a middle eastern box to choose from.